Making Her Proud
by Avora SaDiablo
Summary: Mrs. Black waits anxiously for word on her youngest sons sorting. One shot Regulus Black HPCF Challenge


_**Entry for the Regulus Black contest on the HPCF. Mrs. Black waits anxiously for word on her sons sorting. **_

_**Making Her Proud**_

Orion sat at the kitchen table reading the _Daily Prophet_ as his wife paced around, looking out the window every few minutes. The sun had only begun to rise on the first day their youngest son Regulus would spend at Hogwarts. Kreacher obediently served their breakfast, though they paid the elf no heed.

"What's taking so long?" Walburga demanded impatiently, looking out the window for the umpteenth time.

"Regulus is a good boy, he won't let us down," Orion assured her, taking a bite of his toast.

"You know his affection for Sirius. Merlin… what if he managed to influence his choice? What if he's sorted into Gryffindor – or worse! What if he brings home some filthy mudblood or blood traitor to call friend? Father's no doubt already spinning in his grave over Sirius… Where did we go so wrong with him?" she asked as she had so many times before.

"He was born bad dear; you did everything you could – the boy has no appreciation for the good blood in him," Orion consoled as his wife took an anxious seat. "Regulus is a good boy, he won't disappoint," he assured her. "You restricted the letters from Sirius to him, you've taught Regulus to respect the importance of our traditions, the importance of keeping blood lines pure and untainted."

"I know… I know, I just can't stand this infernal waiting, I just want to be sure," she stressed, taking another look out of the window. "It was just so heart breaking when Sirius said he was _proud_ to be a Gryffindor. _Proud_! I just don't think I could handle it if Regulus said the same; I could never show my face in polite society again, what would people say? Eloise Astor rubs it in my face every chance she gets that _all_ her children have followed tradition and been sorted into a respectable house."

"No one blames you for how Sirius turned out. You did everything you could. Regulus has always enjoyed a good spot of Muggle baiting with me, and he's never been interested in socializing with the Muggle children around here – he knows he's above that."

"Then why hasn't he sent word yet about his sorting?" she pleaded anxiously. "He promised he would owl us as soon as he got to the Common Room. Oh… what if he _has_ been sorted into Gryffindor and is too ashamed to tell us? What if the Hat made a mistake and thought him the same as Sirius?"

"Dear, you are getting yourself worked up over nothing-"

"Our reputation is resting on his sorting!" she cried "One child defecting can be forgiven, every family has a bad apple, but both of them? What if they accuse us of being Muggle sympathizers? What if he marries a Mudblood?" she whispered desperately, her face deathly pale.

A tap on the window startled her and she half ran to let the owl in, her hands shaking as the took the letter, recognizing her youngest sons hand writing. Her hands shook as she slid it to Orion. "You open it… I… I can't…"

She couldn't bear the thought of reading that he was happy to be sharing a common room with his brother; she would sooner see him in Hufflepuff, at least then they could get away with saying he was simply slow…

Orion picked up the letter, breaking the seal on the back. The note had one word scrawled across. "Slytherin," he read, smiling at the relief that washed over his wife's face.

"Oh thank Merlin," she breathed, clutching her heart. There were going to be no requests for Mudblood friends visiting, no embarrassing comments at the next party, no association to blood traitors through him. "What shall we buy for him, to congratulate him?"

"He was begging for a Quidditch practice set all summer,"

"Yes… and some boxes of Chocolate Frogs, and some Quidditch books…" she muttered, adding to the list.

Orion chuckled, taking her hand in his. "You're a wonderful mother. You raised him perfectly, and he will carry on our traditions and beliefs because of you. When you get back, I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, do tell," she pleaded excitedly, "I can't take any more suspense for today,"

"I thought we could have some fun with that old Muggle woman in number 32. I've recently learned that she has no family and is considered mad as a fruit cake by all who know her. No one will believe her if she says anything."

He smiled. How he missed the old days, before the Ministry started caring about Muggles. It really was a sign of things going downhill when they couldn't legally have some sport. But no one believed the ones who had already entered senility, not with the stories they made up on their own.

"Oh… you always have the best surprises," she gushed. They would have to keep her around, at least until the holidays when Regulus could have some fun too. Perhaps she could convince Sirius to take part – maybe it wasn't too late for the boy… No. He would undoubtedly insist on spending the holiday's with the blood traitor Potters, as though they were better than his own family. The boy was a lost cause. She needed to start accepting it. But that didn't matter. Regulus wouldn't let her down. He would make her proud and make a difference in the world.

-.-.-

_**Thank you for taking the time to read, I hope you enjoyed as I don't often do contest pieces. **_

_**Please leave a short review letting me know what you thought :)**_


End file.
